MzTeachuh is a daily blog providing educational links for professional development, timely articles for special needs, ed tech and STEM, as well as interesting and amusing posts in the Fine Arts and the Humanities.

Endrew sends a clear judicial message that both parent input and school officials’ professional judgment must be joined together in the interest of an individual child. Years of costly litigation may have blurred that concept, but Endrew offers the proverbial “reset.” If interpreted as a victory for all parties, it can provide a valuable point of common ground in the struggle to fulfill the promise of special education law.

Friday, November 10, 2017

This is probably my favorite cheesy joke of all time.Why did the Pilgrims eat turkey on Thanksgiving?They couldn't fit the moose in the oven.If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?Pilgrims.What's the best way to stuff a turkey?Take him out for pizza and ice cream.What did the turkey say to the hunter?Quack! Quack! Quack!Teacher: Where did the Pilgrims come from?Student: Their parents, of course.

Time for a little serious talk about the Pilgrims. Let's delineate: they were not the Puritans. It was the Puritans and Henry VIII-inspired later purges that began the 'off with their head' programs that sent the Pilgrims, and groups like them, to the Netherlands, and later, to Virginia (woops, Plymouth Rock.) The Pilgrims were in search of religious freedom, and not only accepted help from the Wampanoag tribe--local Native Americans--but intermarried with them over the next few generations because so many of the Pilgrim group died the first year after they arrived in 1620. Many members of the Pilgrims left Massuchusetts during the Puritan's religious purges, like the Salem Witch Trials, and went to Rhode Island. The English have a dynamic history of religious freedom, for example, William Tyndale who translated the Bible into the English language and was martyred as a rebel. We have religious freedom now due to this legacy. Thousands of Americans have genetic ties to the Pilgrims (DNA evidence now shows) and that information is something to treasure. Now we live the liberty for ourselves and offer it to others.

What kind of music did the Pilgrims play?Plymouth Rock and Roll.

Q: Why did they let the turkey join the band?A: Because he had the drumsticks.

What do you call the dirt on a Pilgrim's hands?Pilgrime.

What would you get if you crossed a turkey with a spooky spirit?A poultrygeist.

What's brown and white and flies all over?A turkey when you carve it with a chainsaw.

How many cooks does it take to stuff a turkey?One, but you really have to squeeze him in.

Q: What smells the best at a Thanksgiving dinner?A: Your nose.

Why did the glutton get a traffic ticket on Thanksgiving?He was exceeding the feed limit.

Rekindling Excitement for Familiar Classes

Successful teaching, the kind that really makes a lasting impression, requires more than just knowledge—it takes enthusiasm, partnership, and meaningful instruction to nurture and sustain student interest. No matter what subject we teach, or the age of our students, there’s something to be gained by approaching any class as though it were a new teaching assignment.

Clean Slate

All kids have greatness hidden inside them. It is the job of an educator to help them find and unleash it. To make this goal a reality, we must change our thinking and believe in our abilities to improve learning for all kids. It’s interesting that many of us are ready to embrace and celebrate the ideas of others openly, but we don’t necessarily believe in the ones that we either think of or develop on our own. The best ideas in education come from practitioners in the trenches. It is these people after all who implement innovative practices and ultimately find success. The challenge though is to begin believing in what you have to offer and not worry about what others think.

Why protecting students at school is much more than just internet monitoring

The use of technology in schools has provided students with a whole new way to connect and communicate with each other and their teachers, in addition to being a great source for learning. However, on the flipside, access to the wider internet may mean that there is a temptation for students to access websites with inappropriate content–or use it as a platform where negative behavior can escalate, such as for cyberbullying or other undesirable activities.

About Me

Melanie Link Taylor is an educator and edu blogger in Southern California, credentialed in both General Education and Special Education. She teaches English Literature, Language and Composition to Grades 7-12 at Victor Valley Christian School in Victorville, California.
Melanie guest blogs on educational sites, and is an Edutopia facilitator, a commentor on BAM Radio, member of ISTE, and a Teach100 mentor.
She received her B.A. in English, and minor in Art, from Mount St. Mary's University in Los Angeles, and her M.A. in Special Education from Chapman University.
She also cultivates the Melanie Link Taylor Teaching Garden and Wildlife Habitat in Southern California.